i have cut defense spending. and the reason we could do that is because of our fantastic success in winning the cold war. we never would have got there if we had gone for the nuclear freeze crowd; we never would have got there if we had listened to those that wanted to cut defense spending. i think it is important that the us stay in europe and continue to guarantee the peace. we simply cannot pull back. now, when anybody has a spending program they want to spend money on at home, they say, well, let's cut money out of the defense department. i will accept and have accepted the recommendation of two proven leaders, general colin powell and secretary dick cheney. they feel that the levels we're operating at and the reductions that i have proposed are proper. and so i simply do not think we should go back to the isolation days and starting blaming foreigners. we are the sole remaining superpower, and we should be that. and we have a certain disproportionate responsibility. but i would ask the american people to und